A Bahraini delegation comprising Bahrain Airport Company (BAC), Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB), and Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA), showcased the Kingdom’s competitive advantages and ambitious vision for aviation and tourism at the 24th World Routes Development Forum.

 

Held this year in Guangdong Province, China from 15 to 18 September, the annual forum is one of the aviation industry’s biggest global events. It attracts senior decision makers from the world’s leading aviation organisations and provides a platform for route development professionals to discuss, develop, and plan network strategy.

 

 BAC Chief Commercial Officer, Ayman Zainal headed the company’s delegation, that presented a strong case for route development, which is crucial to boost the Kingdom’s tourism and aviation sectors and increase their respective contributions to the national economy.

 

The event included face-to-face meetings, an exhibition, and a conference featuring presentations and panel discussions with industry experts centred on key air service development issues currently affecting the route development community.  More than 3,000 delegates, representing 300 airlines, 700 airport operators, and 130 tourism authorities, as well as a number of government bodies and stakeholders, explored potential partnerships and business development opportunities over the three days.

 

 During the event, the BAC delegation met with senior route decision makers and network planners, highlighting the competitive advantages of operating out of Bahrain International Airport, as well as the improvements being made to its infrastructure, facilities, and services as part of the Airport Modernisation Programme.

 

Developing new routes and cargo operations out of BIA is a top priority for BAC and its partners. The World Routes Development Forum provided an excellent opportunity to attract interest from leading airlines and explore the potential of adding new routes linking Bahrain to the rest of the world.